The Astoria location is more convenient to Manhattan if that's where you're coming from but Ridgewood has the advantage of being close to several other European style butchers as well in the event that Muncan's doesn't have what you want. (Ridgewood Pork Store, Morscher's Pork Store, Zum Stammtisch Pork Store)

Please note - out of all of the above, Zum Stammtisch is the only one open on Sundays (it closes on Mondays).

The Muncan on Myrtle kindly annotates this as jumari (Romanian), cevarci (Serbo-Croatian), and teparto (Hungarian; BYO diacritical marks throughout). Ironically, this is one of their offerings that least needs annotation: It's unmistakable as a bin of fried pork rinds.

The Yorkville Meat Emporium had intended to reopen last autumn, and then again before Christmas. Still shuttered; doesn't look good. And, unfortunately, that Euro Shop couldn't make a go of it; they've been out of business for some time. The Sunnyside Meat Market is Romanian-owned, I believe, rschwim, but I bet they'll know of what you speak.

Very glad you checked out Muncan! Smokey Eastern European meat is amazing!

I hope you'll return to the Ridgewood/Glendale frontier sometime and try some of the other meat meccas in the area. I think Morscher's is also quite good though they're more of a fresh sausage/fresh meat butcher of the Slovenian-German variety whereas Muncan is run/owned by Romanians who used to live in an ethnic conclave in Croatia. (perhaps your visit could inspire a pan-Balkan-themed composition?)

Indeed. Timo and John Muncan, the brothers who kicked off the party, were raised in the former Yugoslavia before emigrating here. I find their Istran products (pancetta, etc.) to be particularly good. Not to say everything there is wonderful. But, alas, I digress.

Also, I prefer to drop in to the Astoria location. Despite Ridgewood's association with Eastern Europeans, their first store was actually their Broadway location. And you catch Timo there, if you're lucky. (Does he also work the Ridgewood store?) He's an affable guy.

Here in Astoria in addition to Muncan's we also have Euro Market, which carries a wide variety of Balkan smoked meats and sausages such as soujouk as well as Greek and gourmet specialty items. Their smoked bacon is amazing.-=:Astoristani:=---3042 31st StAstoria, NY 11102

What else do you recommend from the meat counter, Astoristani? The array is amazing and the smell of the smoked meats is so tempting. Some random things I've picked, though, have been so dry and hard as to be inedible, which makes me wonder about the frequency of turnover.

On another note, their international beer selection has to be the best in Queens.